ELF_SCNSHNDX(3)

💖 ELF_SCNSHNDX 💖

okay bestie, gather round, because we're talking about elf_scnshndx from the Libelf Programmer's Manual and honestly? it's giving ✨niche but essential✨. this is the function you call when your ELF file has so many sections that the normal symbol table entries literally cannot hold all the section references anymore. she's a little helper for the extended section indices situation, and she's lowkey iconic for it 💅

✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

#include <libelf.h>

int elf_scnshndx(Elf_Scn *scn);

that's it. one include, one function, one Elf_Scn *. slay 🎀

🌸 DESCRIPTION 🌸

so what does elf_scnshndx() actually do, you ask? she searches for the SHT_SYMTAB_SHNDX section that's associated with a given symbol table section. then she hands you back the section index of that matching SHT_SYMTAB_SHNDX section. and if there isn't one? she returns zero. no drama, no fuss, just a zero 🫶

this function exists for retrieving extended section indices in ELF files that have a lot of sections — like, so many that standard symbol table entries can't store all the possible section references directly. imagine a closet with too many shoes and not enough shelves. that's the vibe. elf_scnshndx() is the extra shelf 🦋

⚠️ heads up bestie: the function only returns a valid result if scn refers to a section of type SHT_SYMTAB. anything else? you get 0. no exceptions, no vibes, just zero. periodt.

🎀 PARAMETERS 🎀

• scn — an Elf_Scn pointer that references a symbol table section. that's the one she's gonna search around for a matching SHT_SYMTAB_SHNDX. make sure it's actually a symbol table or, like, she's just gonna shrug at you 💀

⭐ RETURN VALUE ⭐

• returns the section index of the SHT_SYMTAB_SHNDX section — if she found one 👑
• returns 0 if no such section is found 😭
• returns -1 on error 🚨

three possible outcomes, three little moods. know them, love them, handle them.

🌈 SEE ALSO 🌈

• libelf(3)
• elf(5)

go read those too, bestie, they're the supporting cast and they ate 🍓

💜 ATTRIBUTES 💜

• elf_scnshndx() — Thread safety: MT-Safe 🧚

so yes, she's safe to call from multiple threads. multitasking queen behavior, no cap.

🙈 REPORTING BUGS 🙈

found a bug? don't suffer in silence, tell the devs!! report bugs to <elfutils-devel@sourceware.org> or hit up https://sourceware.org/bugzilla/. they wanna know, fr fr 🫶

📜 HISTORY 📜

elf_scnshndx first appeared in elfutils 0.132. and important lore: this function is an elfutils libelf extension — meaning she may not be available in other libelf implementations. so if you port your code elsewhere and she ghosts you, that's why 💀 iykyk.

and that's the whole page, bestie!! written up in the Libelf manual, dated 2025-06-30, filed under ELF_SCNSHNDX(3) — go forth and index those sections responsibly 💖✨🎀🦋